Trump’s threat of Venezuela military action could bolster Maduro

CARACAS (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump’s talk of possible military action in Venezuela could be a political lifeline for the country’s unpopular leader, who has long used the threat of U.S. aggression to justify policies that have shredded the economy.

President Nicolas Maduro has continued the free-spending socialist “revolution” started by his predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez, almost 20 years ago. Key to the populist rhetoric used by both is a constant drumbeat of warnings that the U.S. “empire” is planning an invasion to steal Venezuela’s oil.

That threat was laughed off by the opposition and until Friday night, when Trump said a military option was not out of the question for dealing with the Venezuelan government’s crackdown on the opposition and deepening social crisis.

“He’s doing Maduro a favor by reinforcing the nationalist position that the Gringos want to come and attack Venezuela. This has always been part of Maduro’s rhetoric, and Chavez before him. And it has served them both well,” said lawyer Luis Alberto Rodriguez while sitting at a cafe, smoking a Cuban cigar, in one of Caracas’ wealthier neighborhoods.

“It’s not going to have any impact other than the government using it to further unify its people and attack the opposition,” the 44-year-old added.

Maduro loyalists, who regularly insult opposition leaders as Washington’s lackeys, wasted no time in pouncing.

“Mind your own business and solve your own problems, Mr. Trump!” thundered Maduro’s son, also named Nicolas, at the country’s new constituent assembly, which was elected last month to rewrite the constitution.

The opposition fears the assembly will remove any checks that remain on the president’s powers, and critics globally have condemned it as an affront to democracy.

“If Venezuela were attacked, the rifles would arrive in New York, Mr. Trump,” the younger Maduro said. “We would take the White House.”

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters at his golf estate…